WHO?
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Straight Allies, who believe in the power of visibility and are committed to combating injustices facing the LGBT community in areas of marriage, military service, adoption rights, anti-bullying/anti-homophobia efforts, diversity education and full equality under state and federal law.
WHAT?
A grassroots social media campaign called 'COUNT ME OUT', whose goal is for social media users to "donate" their main profile image to include the word OUT or ALLY on National Coming Out Day, Monday October 11th. Participants are welcome and encouraged to utilize the days preceding and following Monday Oct 11th to participate as well. Should they not feel "OUT" or "ALLY" speaks to them as closely as another word of their choice, individuals are welcome to utilize another word or statement. For those participants utilizing Twitter, flickr, YouTube, the hashtag #CountMeOut will also be encouraged.
WHEN?
Monday October 11th 2010
…awareness/engagement begins Thursday October 7th and continuing throughout that entire next week.
WHERE?
Any social media or new media platform by which individuals communicate regularly or have a "main profile picture" available. Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare, MySpace, BBM, iChat, flickr, YouTube, etc.
HOW?
IMAGE CUSTOMIZATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Simply colorize your main picture and add block letters "OUT" or "ALLY"
OR…
Go to http://www.pixlr.com/editor/
Select "Open image from computer" or "Open image from URL"
Select your image
TINT THE IMAGE:
In the bar at the top of the website click on "Adjustment"
It will open a drop-down menu. Select the option at the very bottom "Color Lookup"
It will open a selection of colors. Select the rainbow image ( the fourth option )
WRITE "OUT" OR "ALLY":
Click on the letter "A" on the tool bar located on the left side of the website
Then click anywhere on the image, opening a text menu box.
Type "OUT" or "ALLY," select a font you like best, in either black or white
Click on the arrow symbol at the top-right of the tool bar, then click on the word "OUT" or "ALLY" to move it into your desired position on the image.
SAVE:
Click on "File" at the very top left corner of the website.
It will open a drop-down menu. Click "Save."
WHY?
…is visibility and "pride" important for the LGBT community?
· Students who describe themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered are five times more likely to miss school because of feeling unsafe. 28% are forced to drop out.
· The vast majority of victims of anti-lesbian/gay violence - possibly more than 80% - never report the incident, often due to fear of being "outed".
· 75% of people committing hate crimes are under age 30 - one in three are under 18 - and some of the most pervasive anti-gay violence occurs in schools.
· A survey of 191 employers revealed that 18% would fire, 27% would refuse to hire and 26% would refuse to promote a person they perceived to be lesbian, gay or bisexual.
· Lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are at a four times higher risk for suicide than their straight peers.
· In high schools across America 87% of LGBT youth have reported missing at least one day of school due to safety concerns and threats of violence based on their sexual orientation.
According to a recent report by the leading national LGBT organization whose emphasis is on issues related to homophobia and bullying, GLSEN found…
· 86% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( LGBT ) students experience some form of harassment in school each year because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
· Nearly half report being physically harassed and almost a quarter report being physically assaulted.
· Three out of five LGBT students feel unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation.
· Anti-LGBT bullying leads to absenteeism, lower grades, reduced self-esteem and, in too many cases, depression and suicide
